51Թ

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View synonyms for

waver

1

[wey-ver]

verb (used without object)

  1. to sway to and fro; flutter.

    Foliage wavers in the breeze.

  2. to flicker or quiver, as light.

    A distant beam wavered and then disappeared.

  3. become unsteady; begin to fail or give way.

    When she heard the news her courage wavered.

  4. to shake or tremble, as the hands or voice.

    Her voice wavered.

    Synonyms:
  5. to feel or show doubt, indecision, etc.; vacillate.

    He wavered in his determination.

  6. (of things) to fluctuate or vary.

    Prices wavered.

  7. to totter or reel.

    The earth quaked and the tower wavered.



noun

  1. an act of wavering, fluttering, or vacillating.

waver

2

[wey-ver]

noun

  1. a person who waves or causes something to wave.

    Election time brings out the wavers of flags and haranguers of mobs.

  2. a person who specializes in waving hair.

  3. something, as a curling iron, used for waving hair.

waver

/ ˈɱɪə /

verb

  1. to be irresolute; hesitate between two possibilities

  2. to become unsteady

  3. to fluctuate or vary

  4. to move back and forth or one way and another

  5. (of light) to flicker or flash

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or an instance of wavering

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • waverer noun
  • unwavered adjective
  • ˈɲԲ adjective
  • ˈɲԲly adverb
  • ˈɲ noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of waver1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English waveren, waferen “to totter, swing”; cognate with Middle High German wabern “to waver,” dialectal German wabern “to move about,” Old Norse vafra “to hover about, roam”; wave, -er 6

Origin of waver2

First recorded in 1550–60; wave + -er 1
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of waver1

C14: from Old Norse vafra to flicker; related to German wabern to move about
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Synonym Study

Waver, fluctuate, vacillate refer to an alternation or hesitation between one direction and another. Waver means to hesitate between choices: to waver between two courses of action. Fluctuate suggests irregular change from one side to the other or up and down: The prices of stocks fluctuate when there is bad news followed by good. Vacillate is to make up one's mind and change it again suddenly; to be undecided as to what to do: We must not vacillate but must set a day.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

There was reason for Raducanu to be confident against Zheng, who is still finding her feet on the grass court and has a serve that can waver when under pressure.

From

"Your compassion has never wavered and your strength has helped carry us forward."

From

Ap Iorwerth accused Morgan of wavering from her belief the Welsh government would benefit from membership of the single market and the custom union.

From

Conservatives have long reassured wavering politicians by saying the same of PBS and NPR if the CPB were to be hollowed out.

From

County, say they are deeply concerned about any wavering in the state’s commitment to the subject.

From

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